September 18, 2024

Offensive Line Coach George Warhop

There is no playbook for how George Warhop became the Ravens offensive line coach.

Warhop replaces previous offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, a beloved part of the organization who died on August 25. It would be a difficult position for any coach to walk into, especially because it occurred so soon to the start of the regular season.

Head Coach John Harbaugh sought Warhop’s assistance in dealing with unforeseen events. Using his knowledge and instincts, the 62-year-old Warhop has taken the burden, relying on the coaching staff and players to help each other move forward.

“First and foremost, the situation is tragic,” Warhop explained. “Joe and I were in the World (Football) League together. I wouldn’t say we were close friends, but we were really nice acquaintances. If he had any questions, he’d call me. If I had a question, I would phone him, and he would call back.

“John’s trust in me was demonstrated by his call…” I am grateful for that. The scenario I found myself in, and what Joe had done here, made everything seem quite simple. The group is well-trained, extremely intelligent, and works tirelessly because it is essential to them. That was what he did before I arrived. The whole situation is difficult; we’re just trying to make the best of it.”

Warhop coaches in his own unique style, combining his approach with D’Alessandris’ basis. When Warhop joined the Ravens on August 14, he had less than a month to prepare for Week 1, but he was clear about his strategy from his first meeting with the team.

“I just said, ‘Listen, I don’t know what you guys are doing exactly,'” Warhop recalled. “I’m going to listen as much as possible from a conceptual standpoint. From a technical sense, I’m going to ask you to do various different things. That’s basically how we approached it.

George Warhop: We want to dominate.
Baltimore’s overhauled offense had ups and downs in its Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but Warhop was impressed by the effort and tenacity. On his first NFL snap, rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten was beaten for a sack-fumble by All-Pro Chris Jones, but Lamar Jackson was not sacked again, and Rosengarten improved throughout the game.

Ronnie Stanley thought he was being targeted when he was called for three improper formation penalties, but he played well and fought till the end. Warhop blamed himself for the unlawful formation penalties, but does not foresee any further problems when the Ravens face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

“I enjoy the mentality with which we played. I assumed they were physical. I thought they played the entire game without blinking, which provided us an opportunity at the end to go into overtime,” Warhop said. “Technically, we need to clear up some things. Consistency in footwork, hand placement, and finishing are key to improving performance.

Warhop has been coaching the NFL offensive line since 1996, and the Ravens are his seventh franchise. He’s doing what he enjoys, despite the fact that he never expected to be part of the Ravens’ coaching staff this season.

It’s a common occurrence, and players and coaches think about D’Alessandris every day. Warhop’s experience is proving useful as he deals with an offensive line that is dealing with high expectations, football, and sadness all at once.

“You have to get guys ready to play, and the deal is that you have to win games,” Warhop told the crowd. “In my perspective, if we want to win games, we need to be excellent up front.

“The mourning aspect, [for] anyone who has dealt with death – I have dealt with it in my family – everyone grieves differently. You simply need to make yourself available to them while they are mourning.”

Rosengarten was impressed by Warhop’s approach and understands why Harbaugh reached out to him.

“Coach Hop has put his own flavor on things,” Rosengarten added. “The transition has been straightforward, but not simple. “He did well.”

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